The Washington critic., 1887-12-20
RICHARD II. SYLVESTER ........ Edito
WASHINGTON. DEC. 20, 1887.
NATIONAL PRISON REFORM.

NATIONAL PRISON REFORM.
The establishment of Government
penitentiary and reformatory, to which
Attorney-General Garland has called at.
tcntion as matter deserving the con-
slderation Of Congress can be urged upon
principles of humanity Ms well as econ
,my.
II is unfortunately true that notwlth-
standing the long and able agitation Of
the subject, the progress of prison re-
lorm has been slow and unsatisfactory
II seems very difficult to eliminate from
our penal system the old, barbaric
hcory that punishment for wrong-do-
ting is simply the vengeance that society
Sreaks upon its criminals, and that when
IMAM has once entered the gates of u
pcnitentiary as n convicted felon, he
caves all hope behind and becomes no
longer an object of concern to the out
side world.
Surrounded by the worst of associa-
lions, condemned TO menial labor for the
benefit of greedy contractors, denied the
enjoyment of proper sanitary conditions
sither for mind or body, breathing an
atmosphere reelSing with moral impuri-
ties and frequently subjected to starva-
ton diet and brutal discipline, he serves
he State his allotted term only to be
discharged with broken spirit within
and an ineffaceable stigma Of disgrace
without. Society has had the satisfac-
ton Of vindicating the law, but in the
meantime it has lost a man. 1t has
punished but it has not reformed
worse yet, ii has destroyed as rule all
chances of reform, and is 20 much the
worse off, as the capabilities it might
have turned into new and useful chan
nels have been more or less hopelessly
perverted.
Now the presumption is that if the
Government should build national
penitentiary and reformatory as sug-
gussted, 1t would be the model institu-
ton Of the kind In the world. 1t should
not only be the most complete in all its
appointments 80 far as the safe-keeping
Of prisoners is concerned, but in its
methods Of moral and mental discipline
and In the comprehensiveness and thor
oughness Of its experimental work.
Its directors would be clothed with
the obligation as well as authority
10 make application Of the most rational
and practical ideas Of reform in the man.
agement Of their trust, availing them.
selves Of the best thought of the country
in this direction, and step by step, test
by test, perfecting system which should
represent the orowning glory and con
summation of reformatory effort.
Nothing less than this deserves to bt
contemplated by Congress. Unless the
Government is ready to establish {
prison which shall be an honor to thu
civilization Of the age, and a stand
ing rcproach to the barbarities and in
famies that characterize the Treatment
of criminals in too many Of the States
it had better make no more.
What Is wanted is an institution tina
the States outof sheer self-respect shall b,
forced TO pattern from, an institution t.
which the evil-doer should look forwart
to with terror, but which he may, If Ii,
80 elects. look back upon with gratitude
AS having dealt with him upon principle
of humanity as well as justice, and no
irrevocably robbed him Of his man
hood.
The suggestion of the Attorney-Gen
eral in this behalf is one that certainl
merits early and conscientious attention
1t involves one Of the highest and mos
important problems to which moder
craftsmanship can apply itself, the propc
standards Of penalty for crime and tn
possible reformation Of the crime-com
hitting classes